Compare towns
Webster vs Erving vs Webster vs Douglas
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Erving has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Douglas has the most people working from home (20.9%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Webster | Erving | Webster | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
1,703Lowest |
12,228 |
9,207 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
-7.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
43.3±2.4 8% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
| Douglas and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
16.3%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Webster and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Erving and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$77,656±$9k 25% below MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$271,800±$20kLowest 52% below MA |
$333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$470,600±$29kHighest 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,163±$213Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,198±$85 32% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
| Douglas and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 33% below MA |
$1,870Lowest 69% below MA |
$3,234 46% below MA |
$6,338Highest 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
46.5%±23Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Erving and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
81.5% MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
3.6%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | — | #271 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Erving | — | Douglas |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | None in town | — | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | — | 7.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.